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What Salary Do You Need to Live On a Budget in Charleston?

You need roughly $40,000/year to live on a budget in Charleston. After taxes that’s about $2,727/month, which covers a 1-bedroom at HUD’s Fair Market Rent of $1,036/month, groceries, transport, healthcare, and a 10% savings buffer. Of the occupations BLS tracks in Charleston, about 10 pay at least that much at the median. It's possible. It isn't comfortable.

Monthly budget to live on a budget

Based on HUD FMR for Charleston (RPP 88.72). All figures are monthly unless noted.

ExpenseMonthlyAnnual
Rent (HUD FMR 1BR)$1,036$12,432
Groceries$300$3,600
Transportation$200$2,400
Healthcare$150$1,800
Savings (10%)$273$3,276
Required take-home$2,727$32,724
Required gross salary$40,000/year

Jobs in Charleston that pay $40,000+/year

These occupations have median salaries at or above what you need to live on a budget.

Medical Scientists, Except Epidemiologists
, median $87,050/yr
Registered Nurses
4.1K jobs, median $81,130/yr
Security Guards
3.2K jobs, median $37,220/yr
General and Operations Managers
2.3K jobs, median $85,620/yr
Customer Service Representatives
1.7K jobs, median $37,770/yr
Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers
1.7K jobs, median $51,100/yr
Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive
1.6K jobs, median $40,480/yr
Waiters and Waitresses
1.3K jobs, median $36,310/yr
Maintenance and Repair Workers, General
1.2K jobs, median $40,900/yr
First-Line Supervisors of Office and Administrative Support Workers
1.2K jobs, median $55,040/yr

Compare all lifestyles in Charleston

What salary you need to live budget, comfortably, or well.

Living On a Budget(1BR at $1,036/mo)
$40,000/yr
Living Comfortably(2BR at $1,036/mo)
$40,000/yrView →
Living Well(3BR at $1,347/mo)
$55,000/yrView →

Keep exploring Charleston

All salariesCost of livingAfford a 2BRTake-home calculator

Frequently asked questions

What salary do you need to live on a budget in Charleston?
To live on a budget in Charleston you need roughly $40,000/year gross, or about $2,727/month in take-home pay. This covers rent at the HUD FMR of $1,036/month, groceries, transportation, healthcare, and 10% savings.
Is this realistic for the Charleston job market?
10 BLS-tracked occupations in the Charleston metro pay $40,000/year or more at the median. A limited number of fields hit this bar.
How much of that goes to rent?
Rent takes 38% of monthly take-home in this scenario. The HUD Fair Market Rent for Charleston is $1,036/month for a 1-bedroom. The rest splits across groceries ($300), transportation ($200), and healthcare ($150).
What if I want to save more than 10%?
This budget targets a 10% savings rate. To push that to 20%, add roughly 10 to 15% to the gross figure, putting you near $44,800/year. Alternatively, trim variable costs. Groceries and transportation have more flexibility than rent.
How does Charleston compare to other metros for this lifestyle?
The bare minimum in Charleston is around $40,000/year on a tight budget, covering a 1-bedroom at the HUD FMR. A comfortable lifestyle requires $40,000/year. Use the comparison table above or the compare tool to check other metros side by side.

Source data is published by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and other federal agencies. AffordMap is not affiliated with or endorsed by any government agency. Per BLS policy, "BLS.gov cannot vouch for the data or analyses derived from these data after the data have been retrieved from BLS.gov."

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